What I had hoped for was a deeply meaningful book full of conversations that happened between women over various topics. What I felt I got instead was the rambling thoughts of a woman who couldn’t decide if she was a lesbian and had a severe drinking problem.
Rating: 2/5
It’s been a while since I’ve disliked a book this much. Even more, than I disliked The Turn of the Key. Which that was quite a bit. I just didn’t enjoy reading this. What I had hoped for was a deeply meaningful book full of conversations that happened between women over various topics. What I felt I got instead was the rambling thoughts of a woman who couldn’t decide if she was a lesbian and had a severe drinking problem.
I was intrigued to learn more about this narrator’s story once I realized it was the same narrator throughout the book. However, most of the book was told in scattered pieces that didn’t connect coherently. There were so many holes and rambling thoughts, I found myself starting to skim through just so that I could finish.
I would have rather enjoyed this more if the conversations were stand-alone rather than intermingled together haphazardly over the span of 20 years. It would have been stronger if this book was a collection of conversations between women and not a connected collection of conversations that one woman experienced. I truly had high hopes for the one, I can’t help but feel disappointed.
Some of the conversations that were there were very intriguing and thoughtful. Some were even thought-provoking but filled with these ramblings thoughts that didn’t quite connect. Leaving me no longer interested to care about what was being said.
This idea of an unnamed character where we only learn snippets of her story is probably what disappointed me the most. It left me confused, wanting more but knowing the narrator was too self-centered to share more.
It left me confused, wanting more but knowing the narrator was too self-centered to share more.
Overall, this book was, to say the least, a disappointment. Especially being labeled such a beautifully written novel filled with conversations held between women. I truly think it missed that mark. By a longshot. Though some of the conversations topics were serious, thought-provoking, etc. With the unlikable characters, rambling thoughts, and a self-centered narrator, I no longer cared about the topics spoken about. I didn’t enjoy reading this, if not for its short page count, 205 pages, I probably wouldn’t have finished it.
I debated between giving this book 1 star and 2. In the end, I gave it 2, because even though I was severely disappointed, there were just enough conversations that I enjoyed reading if I pretend it had nothing to do with the rest of the book. Which, in all honesty, would have made it a stronger book.
My review of this book is not to discourage any of you from reading this book. It is my honest thoughts of how I felt going into and finishing this book. Reading other reviews on this book, there were several that seemed to enjoy it and others who felt similar to my feelings. All I can suggest is that you try it for yourself and create your own opinions.
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